The last several years Paris has witnessed chocolate artisans move in and set up shop, or strike out on their own, giving old-time Belgian, French, or Swiss chocolatiers a run for couverture. This “new breed” is designing refined creations, tantalizing truffles, pleasing pralinés, gorgeous ganaches, and scrumptious sculptures.
Highlighted here are seven heavenly places to tickle your chocolate taste buds; one for each day of the week.
Patrice Chapon – 69 rue du Bac, 75007 Paris; Tel. +33 (0)1.42.22.95.98 - Chapon’s delightful old-fashioned candy shop is a voyage through time into a world chock full of fun-loving delights and temptations. The exclusive secret-recipe must-haves are the three sorts of 3-mm thick wafers, created for the 2004 Salon. Additionally, enjoy lovely cognac, caramel, coffee, or rum-filled ganaches, pâte d’amandes with pear and pistachio, and an array of pralinés.
Michel Chaudun – 149 rue de l’Université, 7th; Tel. +33 (0)1.47.53.74.40. Monsieur Chaudun is pure “old school”, putting his heart and soul into chocolate. After being head chocolatier at La Maison du Chocolat for many years, he decided to branch out on his own. His creations are a veritable panoply of delectable treats, yearly chocolate innovations, transporting pavés and chocolate trompe l’oeil designs and fashion statements, such as edible renditions of Hermes bags.
Christian Constant – 37, rue d’Assas, 6th Arrondissement ; Tel. +33 (0)1.53.63.15.15 – With quite a prestigious name in food, Constant is making his mark in the world of chocolate. Resulting from careful study and relentless global searches for the finest ingredients, his hand-made creations include ganaches, truffles, filled chocolates, and pate de fruits. Sure to delight are his unique blends with spices, dried fruits and nuts, as well as floral and fruit aromas, such as Vanille de Tahiti.
Pierre Hermé – 72, rue Bonaparte, 6th Arrondissement; Tel. +33 (0)1.43.54.47.77 - Hermé is the king of “chocolate as a source of pleasure” and “the address” for macarons, some adorned with rose-petals, as well as the newly added Miss Gla' Gla' creationsOn offer also are a variety of chocolate bars (some from as far afield as Mogador or Java), signature and classic boxed collections, as well as mouth-watering biscuits and snacks. Queues are common, with patrons salivating for their chance to order.
Jean-Charles Rochoux - 16 rue d’Assas, 6th Arrondissement; Tel. +33 (0)1.42.84.29.45 - Relative newcomer Rochoux opened his shop in 2004 after having worked alongside many different masters. His delectable choc chic range of various kinds of chocolate creations are rife with caramelised hazelnuts, almonds, pistachio, orange and ginger, and even some far-flung designs with basil. He loves making eye-catching sculptures and specializes in truffles, as well as ganaches made with rosewater, spices and mountain honey.
Patrick Roger – 108 blvd St. Germain, 6th Arrondissement; Tel. +33 (0)1.43.29.28.42 – Shining bright amidst the chocolate artists in St. Germain des Prés, Roger delivers prize-winning chocolates and attention-getting displays. Single-origin chocolate bars from around the world with spicy, fruity, woody, smoked aromas are a voyage to be remembered, as are the pavés with a twist of lime, Beijing with ginger root, and the melt-in-your mouth caramels.
Joséphine Vannier - 4, rue Pas de la Mule, 75003 Paris; Tel: +33 (0)1.44.54.03.09 – A chocolate artist’s space, par excellence, Chocolaterie Joséphine Vannier displays a large collection of sculptures ranging from animals to shoes to holiday and music themes. The Pain d’Epices (chocolate dipped in spices with a spicy-peppery ganache filling) is gripping and the Café Pralinés; adorned with Vannier’s telltale musical note on the outside and pure lusciousness on the inside, are not to be missed.
Paris is a delicious place to be, as some of the best chocolates in the world are being made here. As Vivian Thomas wrote, “If chocolate is the food of the gods, as its botanical name, theobroma cacao, indicates, then Paris is today’s Mount Olympus”.
Tina Lynch - Based in Paris, Tina is an American bonne-vivante living in France. She currently spends her time working as a medical copyeditor, ...
